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Resources for steelworkers and others in crisis

Shedding light on a subject usually kept hidden.

January 8, 2013 at 4:33 pm 7

The director of the Maryland Mental Hygiene Administration, Brian Hepburn, and Dave Goldman, chief of the Baltimore County Bureau of Behavioral Health, asked us to publish this information in the wake of our story on a steelworker suicide.

“We are saddened by the death of Mr. Jennings. We would like to express our sympathy to his family and friends. In The Baltimore Brew article, Mr. Jennings’ daughter, Jeanne Jennings, has encouraged others to ask for help if needed.

“Please use the resources below if you are feeling the need to talk to someone or if you feel your loved one would benefit from talking to someone.”

Mental health services in Baltimore County: 410-887-3828

Baltimore County Crisis Hotline: 410-931-2214

Baltimore Crisis Response: 410-752-2272

Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255

____________________________

Other resources which may be helpful:

National Suicide Prevention Hotline (open 24/7): @800273TALK 800-273-8255

Baltimore Crisis Response (24/7): 410-752-2272

Grassroots Crisis Intervention (24/7): 410-531-6677, 1-800-422-0009

Network of Care: www.networkofcare.org

Mental Health Association of Md: www.MHAMD.org - 443-901-1550

National Alliance on Mental Illness of Md: www.NAMIMD.org - 410-884-8691

 

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  • Kathleen3320

    What we need as taxpayers and citizens of our State and Government whom many us have worked and payed into the United States of America system for years is the following:
    1) after re-training all of us who want to and must continue working due to our finacial oblications will have a job with health benefits.
    2) that our leaders in our Government/Union will form a task force to Reach out to ALL possible employment opportunities from employers in Maryland,City and State government, hospitals and manufacturing  and see that doors will be open for all who need and have the desire to work to be given the opportunity for THAT INTERVIEW……
    What we need is JOBS & BENEFITS…most are getting fed up with all the paperwork, running back & forth to MWE, lossed documents and workshops that may or may not be beneficial to any of us.
    We are experienced workers with life experiences to offer any employer. We have financial obligations to keep what we have such as our homes and families together but most of all none of us need not to get sick and not have any health benefits in place for (1) stay in the hospital  which could wipe us out of everything we have worked for. 
    So as we train just maybe someone is out their looking and having our backs…this has not been an easy transition in the process for all of us and hope that someone will work to see that none of us STEELWORKERS will fall through the cracks.

    • Nashorn

      Kathleen,

      The only people who are going to look after you and watch your back are you, your family, your friends, your church and your community.

      To a lesser extent the government will help out, but only to the extent of the existing Federal TRA retraining programs, HCTC health care subsidies, PBGC pension guarantee, a little state counseling help and of course the main safety net programs.

      The problems you refer to are real, but are not unique to steelworkers. It’s unlikely that much will be forthcoming from the government (Federal or State) who have big financial problems and is looking to cut, not expand expenses.

      Have faith in yourself, you are your own best bet! It’s tough out there, but good things usually happen to good people. Good workers are always at a premium, you might just have to pound some pavement (I’m sure you are) to meet up with an employer who needs what you’ve got.

      Keep pushing the rock uphill, not a day goes by where someone posts that they have a job or I hear of that happening.

      • Kathleen3320

        Nice reply Nashorn however you sound like a Politcian…yes these problems are real for all many displaced workers in our country and true we are not alone . I find it hard to swallow after leaving the grocery store observing a very young woman with 4 small children approximately 21 years old purchase over $400.00 worth of food and pull out a food stamp card with her manicured nails and rings and bracelets of gold out of her GUGGI bag and then drive off in her Mercedes and no doubt in my mind that this family does not have to work for their health care benefits because it is there for them.  I as many others have worked over 35 years of my life and  for every dollar I and others in my age group made  between the State, Federal & SS they got damn near half. No one is asking for SPECIAL TREATMENT and the strong will survive and MOST will. But it was us that invested in homes and our communities that are well established and have responsibilities and obligations to meet.
        Do you believe that by asking or requesting for a task force to be established to work with our STEELWORKERS in securing jobs or interviews is too much to ask for?
        There are all kinds of organizations ex-cons, people with disabilties, veterans, minorities etc. that sit with prospective employers and make these requests on a daily basis to open some doors along the way.
        The point is I do not need someone for instance to have me attend a workshop to learn how to dress for success or write a resume full of hoopla and make it POP.
        I have a extensive wardrobe and resume writing I learned in high school. I did attended the resume session and all I was given  a stack of more paper and basically that was it.
        With the forthcoming gambling in our City and t/o our State that now exists, the parking meters, the speeding lights fines, admission, higher tolls, etc. you can hardly say our State is having financial problems or at least things are looking up for our LEADERSHIP out there.
        Nashorn, yes I have faith in myself and I hope others do to. There is light at the end of this tunnel.
        Its just a damn shame for greed and power and back door deals…I hope they sleep well at night.

        • George

          Yes Kathleen you make good points in relating how the professional deadbeat dads and moms are living the high life with painted fingernails, free food cards, free medical, free housing, free cell phones, and spending money that came out of our paychecks. You are right about all of the nice programs for ex-cons and child molesters. They all get the VIP treatment and our laid off workers are treated like its all our doing. I do not mind helping folks down on their luck, but even young people who never worked are jumping on welfare band wagon. Thank the Lord that we career workers are different because we WANT to go to work and pay our bills and taxes and tolls, but the sour economy and greedy mill owners have put us out on the street. We do not want food stamps and welfare – we do not run away from work, we run towards it. This is why we are proud and do not want to be cast in the same light as the users and deadbeats. Some of us want to go back to work so badly that life became unbearable. The welfare and “bad back” crowd should not sleep so well and could learn a lesson from the tragic and depressing news report about our fellow worker.  If the state has money for lifetime  lazy people who never worked and do not want to work, how about tossing some of those free benefits to the people who paid into the system and are looking to get back into the system?  If they are not going to bail out the mill, at least bail out the workers until they get back on their feet.

  • unioncaught

    Thanks to the Baltimore Brew for all the insightful stories you have done for the Steelworkers. The union has destroyed so many of their members lives with their greed and false hopes. It’s nice to see that the brew continues to look out for the Steelworkers members even though the union has forgotten them. 

    • baltimorebrew

       You’re welcome, unioncaught. The company may be gone but there is still a big story to tell about the people left behind. This tragedy involving Mr. Jennings is a powerful and heartrending reminder of that. -fs

      • H S

         There is a big story to tell regarding how the company got gone.

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